Review: NYC Expert Last Lip Lacquers

Whiplash has kicked in with all of the lip collections that have hit the drugstore this season. One that I’m late to the game with is the NYC Expert Last Lip Lacquers. NYC’s Expert Last Lipstick line is one of my faves from the brand, so I was pretty eager to see if the new lacquers lived up to their predecessors.

I originally took the NYC Expert Last Lip Lacquers to be liquid lipsticks, since they looked so pigmented and creamy in the tubes. While they certainly are both of those things, I would actually categorize them to be much more similar to lipgloss.

Chelsea Cherry Blossoms

Chelsea Cherry Blossoms is a light nude pink that is a bit translucent but is still pigmented for a light shade. It has a very slight iridescent shimmer to it that catches the light with a pretty sheen.

Riverside Romance

Riverside Romance is a pastel coral pink that’s creamy and nearly opaque in a few swipes.

Madison Square Mauve

Madison Square Mauve is a deep, rosy mauve with iridescent shimmer. It’s a really versatile color that can either stand on its own or compliment a fall eye look.

Turtle Bay Toffee

Turtle Bay Toffee is my favorite of the four, and is a completely opaque, rich rosy brown with strong red undertones.

As I mentioned, these are more like lip glosses than anything. They are slippy but definitely not sticky— they’re actually moisturizing, which is a plus. They also have a lot more pigmentation than what you may expect from glosses. Because of the texture, the lighter shades are harder to apply evenly and if you put on too much, it can settle into the lines. The darker shades are much easier to work with, and look great with one swipe of the wand.

The Expert Last Lip Lacquers take a while to dry down, if you even give them a chance to. I say that because I personally drink water constantly throughout my day (gotta get those 8 cups in!) and there is definitely product transfer onto my glass. But if you’re careful and without eating, you can get it to finally set to more of a creamy lipstick finish and the color can last about 4 hours. Still a bit short for something that’s supposed to be part of a long-lasting line, but hey, they’re pretty anyway. The darker shades leave behind an even stain, which looks great. Either way, they reapply easily so even if they fade, slapping more on isn’t really a big deal.

The NYC Expert Last Lip Lacquers cost only $3.99 in drugstores and I definitely want to pick up more of the deeper shades for fall and winter.

No, I don’t wear liquid eyeliner much. I’m allergic to a lot of them. I’ll try out NYC’s, though. At least it’s cheap if it doesn’t work, right? I’ve tried their eye and lip liners, and their eyeshadows and blushes, and I just wasn’t happy with any of it. I like their lipsticks just fine for the price.